The Eternal Phoenix
by Broken-and-fallen
Summary: AU. The Eternal Phoenix, it visited Princess Tomoyo in a dream so she sent Kurogane and his troops to a foreign land to retreive it. Little did he know there was more to the myth than he originally thought. KuroFai. SPOILERS
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One 

Hiss, snap.

Kurogane growled, low in his throat. It was painful and he could feel dry blood caking his throat and cheek, splitting and crackling against his skin. His troupe had been ambushed as they were marching across the frozen wasteland Princess Tomoyo had abandoned them to, following after an idea that may as well been a myth. Tomoyo had dreamt of a great treasure, an undying bird that lay nest in these parts, with the power to bring peace and prosperity to a land if placed in the care of a holy person.

Kurogane had protested, of course. He would rather let the Ladies in Waiting have their way with him with curlers than send his men on a wild goose chase, mind the pun. But one desperate look and a plead from Tomoyo had him grudgingly packing his bags and summoning his troops to head across the ocean to an abandoned land of snow and ice.

They had camped for the night in a crevasse between two mountains. His limbs had been aching with the effort of constantly pulling his men out of snow throughout their trip. He had just rested his eyes to sleep when there had been a splintering crack from the mountain above him and his world went dark.

And now, he was bound and gagged and being dragged across snow covered cobblestones.

"…Nn…" He tipped his head forward so he was staring over his chest and saw his feet also chained together.

"He's awake."

The voice came from one of his captives. He tried to look at them but a hand fisted in dark hair and wrenched his head around.

"Don't try anything funny."

Kurogane didn't find a problem with that, his body felt like it was on fire anyway. He winced as his back hit a step and someone snorted at him. There were a few more moments of being dragged across a slippery surface, then a roaring sound as if something heavy was being moved. Then, everything stopped.

"Drop him."

His body hit tiles heavily. Above him a gigantic roof, intricately decorated with pictures made of tiles. His eyes were torn away from it when someone grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him to a kneeling position.

He raised his head.

A man sat on the throne before him, face sharp and white-pale, with long ebony hair pooling over a long dark cloak. He seemed surprised to see Kurogane. Then again, Kurogane couldn't tell, he'd seen a lot of surprised King's in his lifetime. Most of the time they had a sword sticking out of them. The man gestured towards one of his captors, and the gag was removed from Kurogane's mouth.

"You must be… General Kurogane." The man's voice was soft, so quiet Kurogane barely heard him.

"Who're you?" he replied gruffly.

"I am King Ashura." The man smiled pleasantly as though talking to a child. "And you have trespassed on my land with the hopes of stealing my Phoenix."

Kurogane felt a stab of pain through his head and sucked in a shallow breath. He felt like someone was invading his mind with a hot poker. Ashura's lips twitched into a smug smile.

"Many people have attempted to steal it before, you know." The King rose off his chair and elegantly made his way down the marble steps towards Kurogane. Thick blood dribbled from between the warrior's lips and he coughed hoarsely.

"And you're going to see what happens to those people."

--

Kurogane hit the cell wall heavily, collapsing onto the ground with a grunt. This wasn't the first time he'd been captured by an enemy, but it was the first time his mind was being assaulted by some sort of arcane magic. He knew it was magic, he'd seen its effects before, heard of victims tales.

Once he was sure the guards had left his cell, he checked his bonds. His feet had been unbound, but his hands were still tied behind his back. Wincing he raised his head and rolled onto his back. Shuffling around for a bit he felt for his belt buckle and positioned the rope against the clasp. Biting his lip he rubbed the clasp against the rope. It was difficult; it kept fumbling out of position and scratching across his wrists. This was going to take a while.

Sighing he steadied his breathing and tried again. Panicking and rushing was only going to make it worse. He may be impatient, but he was determined, and he was going to get out of the bonds even if he died of boredom.

"Hello?" 

Oh, great.

Kurogane rolled onto his stomach and shuffled his way over to the cell wall the voice had come from. There was a rather wide crack and through it he could see dark brown eyes, framed with shadows, and chapped lips.

"Are you the General they were talking about in the hallway?"

"Yeah." Kurogane grunted and set his back against the wall, resuming his work while keeping an eye on the stranger. "Who're you?"

"My name's Syaoran." The eye shifted and faced away from the crack, the boy making himself comfortable. "I was caught too."

"You're not one of my troops," Kurogane observed. "You're too young." 

"No." Syaoran gave a dry chuckle. "I imagine they'd all be dead by now."

Kurogane cursed under his breath. He was never particularly _close _with any of his soldiers, but they were all loyal and good warriors. He swore that when he got out of this damn cell that he'd find Ashura and show him how much pain he could inflict without having to resort to petty magic. And then he'd find Tomoyo and… well, he couldn't really do anything to Tomoyo, but he'd give Souma and her troops a good kick up the ass for not intervening.

"Were you here to catch the Phoenix?" Syaoran asked curiously, after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence. Kurogane grimaced and continued to rub his hands against the clasp.

"Yeah. You too?"

"Yeah."

More silence, until Kurogane heard Syaoran mumble something unintelligible and realised the kid must have fallen asleep. Rolling his eyes he hissed when the clasp dug sharply through the rope and into his wrist. Painful as it were, he still grinned victoriously and continued his task. Pain was good, it meant the clasp was effectively – albeit slowly – cutting through the rope. He tensed when he heard footsteps outside the cells, and then voices.

"What're you doing?"

"Checking on the whelp."

A door opened – Kurogane guessed they were talking about Syaoran – and he quickly dropped onto the ground, back facing the cell wall in case they checked on him too and saw his progressing escape.

"Tch. Is 'e dead?"

"Nah, just asleep I think. Tough kid, putting up with the magic for that long."

"Maybe the Mage is goin' easy on 'im?"

"Wouldn't dare."

"Too right. It's a wonder the King's still givin' 'im food."

"Nn. Should we give the General his lunch?"

Kurogane shifted his hands out of view and tried to make his face empty and nonchalant, suspiciously watching the shadows beneath the door as one of the speakers apparently bent over and the sound of a plate hitting concrete echoed around his cell. Syaoran's cell door was slammed shut, and he heard the boy snort awake.

"Nah. Let 'im wallow for a bit longer. 'E just got here after all."

A chuckle and more footsteps, and then silence once again. Kurogane slowly raised himself into a sitting position and tried to get the clasp back into position against the rope. Casting a glance through the crack in the cell wall, he could see Syaoran's shadow as the boy crouched over his lunch.

Ignoring the growing hunger in his stomach, Kurogane rubbed his wrists against the clasp once more.

--

Something bumped against his head, and Kurogane growled.

Opening his eyes he stared blearily at the plate of food next to his head. If you could call it food. It looked like half eaten bread and off milk. It didn't look like the milk back home anyway. This milk was thick and lumpy and… _blue._ At least, he thought it was milk.

Looking up slowly he saw a seedy looking man with a thick chain at his belt sneer at him before turning and locking the cell door once more. Kurogane wrinkled his nose and wriggled to his knees, sniffing the bread tentatively. He immediately regretted it and lurched backwards.

"I'd eat it if I were you."

Casting a grumpy look over his shoulder Kurogane saw Syaoran peering through the crack, looking at the food almost feverishly.

"No thanks." He grouched, but Syaoran gave him an insisting look.

"No, _seriously_. Eat the food."

Kurogane may not be the smartest person, but he knew a hint when he heard one. Holding his breath (it smelt awful) he took the bread into his mouth and took a bite. Swallowing he was surprised to find it warm and frankly… _delicious_. Glowering suspiciously, he looked through the crack at the boy.

"Why the hell does it look so rank then?" he asked. Syaoran cast a shifty look at his cell door.

"Come closer." He beckoned. Kurogane complied and Syaoran lowered his voice.

"I've managed to get in contact with my brother, he's a soldier you know." Syaoran smiled weakly, and Kurogane noticed a rather large bruise that spread underneath his right eye. It looked new. "He's been smuggling me and the other cellmates fresh food until he can think of a plan for me to escape."

"Magic." Kurogane noted.

"Yeah."

"Tch." He shut his eyes and felt around for the clasp once more. He had managed to rub the rope at least three quarters of the way through, so it shouldn't be too long now before he had full use of his hands. Magic, it was all around this place. Even in the damn _food_.

Noticing the silence he opened his eyes and realised Syaoran was carefully watching his activities, head tilted slightly to the side. Kurogane continued rubbing against the rope while keeping his eyes on the curious boy.

"What happened to your eye?" he asked. It wasn't as if he cared, but the watching boy and the chilling silence was unnerving him.

Syaoran raised a hand to it as if surprised at the question. Smiling grimly he shrugged.

"I don't think King Ashura was happy to see me stuck halfway through his library window." He admitted. "Neither were the twelve guards."

"Ouch." Kurogane muttered, smirking slightly as he felt another cord snap in the rope.

"Maybe. I managed to take eight of them with me though, that's a plus."

Surprised, Kurogane looked back at the boy. Syaoran suddenly didn't seem so puny than he had before.

--

"Sh." Kurogane hissed suddenly. They had been talking on and off for a few hours now, Syaoran filling Kurogane in on the floor plans of the castle they were being held in. Kurogane thought it admirable that the boy was able to remember it all. He listened carefully for a few moments.

"What is it?" Syaoran whispered.

"I thought I heard…" Kurogane frowned and shook his head.

"What?" the boy insisted.

"I'm going insane," Kurogane muttered, rubbing against the rope once more. "I thought I heard whistling."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

"_Kurogane."_

He was dreaming. He knew because he didn't often dream and when he did it was either of his childhood, or if Tomoyo was contacting him.

"_I hope you will forgive me for this terrible mess. I hadn't predicted it would be this complicated."_

If he were awake he would have rolled his eyes. Tomoyo must have predicted this; she never made mistakes when it came to her dreams. Kurogane's dream slowly melted into physical form. He found himself in Tomoyo's bedroom, hung with various silks and velvets. The princess sat before him in a comfortable armchair, and he kneeled.

"_Kurogane. I see you have already devised an escape plan."_

"_Yes." _He replied, head bowed.

"_The boy, Syaoran." _Kurogane realised Tomoyo's hands were resting on an intricate empty cage that sat in her lap. It was small, barely half the size of her, and decorated with diamonds and sapphires. 

"_I wish for you to help him, also."_

"_Help him escape?" _Kurogane questioned. Well, that was a given, the boy had already indulged him in what he knew of the castle; it was only fair he repaid the favour by helping him escape. 

"_Yes," _there was a coy smile on her face that Kurogane didn't trust. _"But also to find contact with his brother."_

"_His brother?" _the warrior replied suspiciously. One of Tomoyo's hands gently stroked a large Sapphire encrusted in the cage's frame. 

"_Yes, I believe both of them will be helpful to your cause."_

Your cause, you mean. Those were the words Kurogane wanted to say to her, but he couldn't. He was extremely loyal to the Princess, but he didn't like it when she shifted it to make a bad idea look like his own.

"_Nasty thoughts won't help, Kurogane." _She smiled as though amused. _"Now wake up. Syaoran is trying to get your attention."  
_

--

Kurogane awoke when a small lump of bread was rudely pegged at his forehead.

"Little shit!" Getting to his knees he glared at Syaoran through the crack, but fell silent when the boy raised a finger to his lips, mouthing 'listen' and nodding towards the cell door. Shuffling closer to the door Kurogane placed his head against the thin crack.

"Miro wants t' see the General." 

The sound of keys jingling together and a high screeching sound, followed by an unkind chuckle. 

"Already? It was weeks before Miro asked to see the boy."

"It's the King's orders."

Kurogane grunted and pulled back as his cell door was ripped open, quickly hiding his bound hands beneath the back of his shirt. He was tugged upwards and forced out the cell door, glancing quickly as he passed Syaoran's cell to see the boy stuffing bread into his mouth, face laced with nervousness.

--

Kurogane didn't give the guards the satisfaction of crying out when he was returned to his cell, dropped roughly onto the cold ground. 'Miro' ended up being a seven-foot heavily muscled man who spent half an hour scrutinizing Kurogane carefully and eventually branded him in the abdomen with an overly-large hot poker. It burned deep, and as Kurogane's cell door was locked behind him he desperately tried to shift his loose shirt higher to place the stinging scar against the cool ground. Breathing harshly, he twisted his body around and spotted Syaoran already against the crack in the wall, the purple bruise beneath his eye illuminated by the moonlight coming through the bars of his window. 

Kurogane stared at him for a moment, too determined on cooling the scar than to speak. Syaoran watched him quietly for a while as if in recognition of what Kurogane was doing. When the pain finally faded into a dull throb, the boy took some spare bread and pushed it through the crack for Kurogane to eat when the warrior awoke again.

--

"You don't see Miro that often." Syaoran mumbled, sipping his milk and gently massaging the bruise. "Maybe once every couple of weeks."

"How long have you been here?" Kurogane asked, resuming his task of cutting through the ropes. Syaoran shrugged.

"A while. I don't get bothered as much anymore, did you notice Miro was missing a finger?" he grinned victoriously and Kurogane snorted. 

"Why were you after the Phoenix?" 

The question caught Kurogane off guard and he paused thoughtfully. 

"Duty. The Princess of my land sent me to find it and bring it back with me so the lands could become _prosperous_." Now that he thought about it, it seemed sort of ludicrous. Not like something Tomoyo would usually send him to do. He had been serving her for at least seven years now, and he still didn't understand her motives for things.

"And you?"

Syaoran blushed slightly. "For a Princess, too, I guess." He mumbled. Kurogane left it at that. He may have a fondness for his 'cellmate' but he wasn't about to have a deep and meaningful conversation with him about his love life. 

The scar had settled on his abdomen, and he inspected it carefully. The poker end had been carved with strange symbols, all fit into a circle in some sort of detailed print against his skin. Syaoran noticed the burn and winced. 

"So they branded you too. It's only going to get worse you know." Syaoran sighed. 

"Thanks for the heads up." Kurogane growled, rolling his eyes. They stilled when they heard footsteps echoing down the cellblock, and Kurogane stopped rubbing against the clasp, shutting his eyes and willing himself to sleep. He needed to contact Tomoyo. He needed help.

--

He was in a bedroom.

"_Tomoyo! I need to speak to y-"_

This wasn't right. Kurogane immediately reached for his waist but growled when he realised his scabbard was missing. The room around him was unfamiliar. It was a bedroom, but it wasn't Tomoyo's. Instead of decorated with warm sunrise colours, it was cold and decked in silver and blue. The bed before him was massive compared to Tomoyo's smaller bed which was usually stacked with pillows. This one was covered with a thick furry blanket and silver silk drapes.

"_Alright," _Kurogane muttered quietly. _"Where the hell am I? Where's Tomoyo!?"_

He saw a shadow to his left but when he looked there was no one there. 

"_You're interesting, you know."_

The voice came from all around him, but Kurogane didn't panic. This was a dream; he couldn't be hurt in a dream. 

"_So stubborn! So strong!" _

Damn if the voice didn't sound like it was _giggling_.

"_You have to be using magic." _Kurogane thought out loud. _"Are you the Mage?"  
_

A sigh, and Kurogane felt a pressure against his shoulders, as if the speaker was leaning against his back. Kurogane knew if he turned he would see empty air, so he stayed perfectly still.

"_Always so serious." _The voice pouted. _"Everyone is always so serious. My King wants me to hurt all the serious people, the ones who try and claim his beloved Phoenix."_

Kurogane tensed, a whisper of a sigh passed over the shell of his ear and he shuddered. It was freezing.

"_So…" _the voice sounded harder, suddenly more serious. _"What are you going to do, Kurogane? You understand now my orders, and I cannot allow more interferences from your Princess."_

"_Don't touch her!" _Kurogane lost his control and snapped around.As expected the other part of the room was just as bare.

"_Be calm, they are not my orders." _The voice came from behind him again, and he heard the squeak of a mattress. The mage was sitting down. _"But she cannot contact you any longer, I have made sure of that. That brand wasn't just for show, you know."_

He felt his stomach suddenly burn and hissed, holding a hand to the scar.

"_Of course." _Kurogane grunted. _"I'm such an idiot."_

"_Oh contraire!" _the giggles were back, and they were like nails against a chalkboard to Kurogane. _"You have proved yourself to be extremely intelligent. One example…"_

The mattress squeaked again, and Kurogane flinched when he felt cool nimble fingers trace the contours of his wrist, dancing along the palm and following the vein up his forearm.

"_Your escape plan is valiant. Especially since you intend to free Syaoran as well."_

Kurogane had to force himself to keep his head facing straight, much to his distaste. He hated not being able to see his enemy's eyes.

"_So, what," _he muttered. _"Have you already informed your King? Are you meant to be distracting me while I'm transferred to a different cell or something?"_

The fingers disappeared, the mattress squeaked protestingly as the mage sat once more. Silence.

"_Hey!" _Kurogane snapped. _"I asked you a damn question!"_

"_Hm…" _the mage sighed heavily. _"I haven't told my King."_

"_What?" _Kurogane turned quickly, instantly regretting it when the bed was bare except for a small dent in the blanket where the mage had been sitting.

"_Tut tut Kuro! I thought you were meant to be smart!" _the voice chided. 

"_What did you call me!?" _Kurogane snarled, but he was only replied with a light chuckle.

"_Ah Kuro, you're certainly interesting, and I won't tell the King of your escape plans. Alas… I have my orders." _At his words Kurogane let out a short cry and his knees hit the carpeted ground as pain hit his mind like a wave. When it stopped, he spent a few moments on the ground, panting heavily, vision blurred.

"_What the hell!" _he gasped out finally.

"_Your welcome." _Came the quiet reply. _"Oops, Time for you to go!"_

--

"I said wake up! Bastard!"

Milk hit his face and Kurogane spluttered, the seedy guard coming into vision. The man sneered, showing stained teeth and his face lighting up with scars. He dropped a plate next to his head and kicked Kurogane's shoulder, sending him sprawling on his back.

"Some General. King Ashura doesn't want you dead just yet."

He laughed and left the cell, locking the door behind him.

"Kurogane!" 

He coughed and rolled back over looking up to see Syaoran looking worriedly through the crack.

"You've been asleep for almost a day! What happened to you?"

Kurogane didn't answer. He tested the ropes that bound his wrists, and found them still loose. 

"Unbelievable." He sighed, resting his head back against the concrete.

"What is? Hey!" Syaoran threw a piece of bread indignantly at Kurogane's head, and the warrior snarled at him. Realising he wasn't exactly in the talkative mood, Syaoran muttered something and disappeared from the crack. 

Kurogane had met a number of mages and warriors in his lifetime that hid their true personalities. He could tell when someone was hiding something from him, or when their actions are simply controlled by their orders. But this mage…he was strange. He followed his King's orders, but kept secrets from him? And such a secret as Kurogane's progressing escape, hiding that from his King could prove fatal to the mage.

And all because he thought Kurogane was interesting? That was plain insane! Kurogane wouldn't hide a prisoner's escape from Tomoyo, even if he thought the prisoner was 'interesting.' 

He winced as pain flashed through his mind once more, but slightly muted than last time as if in a silent apology. Gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut he waited silently and tried to ride out the pain. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three 

Princess Tomoyo was concerned. She had taken to obsessively caressing the cage she had hoped would one day contain the Phoenix. She had attempted to contact Kurogane numerous times after the first dream, but each time all she found was an empty room, filled with a foreign presence that both confused and frightened her. If Kurogane was unable to contact her, it meant he either wasn't sleeping or another magic wielder was blocking her from him.

"Princess?" 

Tomoyo blinked, turning to look slowly over her shoulder. She hadn't realised she had been staring nonchalantly out the window for a while now, and Souma looked worried as she approached her charge.

warrior asked tentatively. Tomoyo smiled gently and shook her head.

"I'm just worried for Kurogane." She admitted quietly. Souma chuckled and surprised the Princess.

"Kurogane? Princess, trust me, he's able to take care of himself." The woman stepped forward, just close enough to comfort the girl but not enough to breach protocol.

"Yes," Tomoyo sighed. "I just pray you're right." 

--

Kurogane was laughing. It was more of an evil chuckle than a laugh, but he was laughing and Syaoran had an amused smile on his face.

"Alright, what did you do." The boy finally wielded, hugging a thin blanket around his shoulders. Kurogane cleared his throat and sat up, grinning with self-satisfaction. At first Syaoran was worried, Kurogane shouldn't be _amused _when returning from a meeting with Miro. But when the guards had pushed the warrior into his cell he had been giddy with laughter.

Snorting, Kurogane helped himself to some bread. "Got annoyed." He admitted, grinning despite himself. "For a bit of a rush." 

"What did you _do_?" Syaoran repeated, grin widening despite himself. Kurogane chuckled.

"Let's just say Miro's missing two fingers, now." 

He snickered and almost forgot about the ropes for a few moments. It was a good rush, to finally bite back against the guy. And the _shriek _Miro released. It had taken all of Kurogane's willpower not to collapse on the floor laughing. Though, he supposed the sudden giddiness might have something to do with the fact he'd been locked in a cell for almost a week and a half now, with no sunlight and no entertainment. Hell, he'd even take some of Souma's jokes at a time like this, and that was getting desperate. Syaoran made a face and Kurogane realised the strange feeling on his cheek was a streak of dark blood. Rolling his eyes he shuffled about for a bit, rubbing the liquid off on his thin shirt.

"Oi. _General_."

Kurogane's head snapped up and Syaoran quickly disappeared from the crack, shuffling over to the shadows of his own cell. Kurogane's cell door opened, and he was pulled to his feet, escorted out of the cell until he came to face Miro, looking entirely too smug as he folded large arms over his stomach.

"T' King wants t' see ya." He grinned, and Kurogane growled.

--

He was thrown to the ground again, staring up at the delicately carved roof again. Now that he looked at it a certain angle, the pieces could almost be arranged into pictures. That clump of pink shards could almost resemble the sakura flowers that grew over Tomoyo's terrace back home.

He was pulled to his knees and quickly hid his hands beneath the back of his shirt, looking up with distaste at the man on the throne. Ashura stood slowly, his layers and layers of clothing trailing after him like fawning servants.

"I showed you mercy, you know. When I didn't have you killed as soon as you reached this castle."

Kurogane didn't reply, jaw clenched.

"Lashing outwards at the guards is ordinary, even to be _expected _of you, General." Crimson eyes snapped upwards at the insinuation in the man's voice, as if the man knew a secret Kurogane didn't and was mocking him because of it. "But Miro, you see, that's a different matter."

The mentioned man crackled his knuckles behind the General, and Kurogane refrained from rolling his eyes. This was ridiculous; he was dragged out of his cell and to the throne room to speak to the King because _Miro tattled to mummy._

"Miro has been in my employment for a long time, General Kurogane. And I can't sit by to see one of my most loyal subjects mistreated when they are simply doing their job."

He wanted to punch him in the face. His voice was so soft, so gentle, so damn _mocking_. Kurogane noticed movement behind Ashura's cloak (dress? Kurogane wasn't going to ask) and narrowed his eyes.

"So," Ashura continued, coming to a stop just before Kurogane. "I'm afraid you're going to have to be punished."

"Oh, _whatever _shall I do." Kurogane groaned, and this time he _did _roll his eyes. Ashura was so damn sure about himself, as if he thought he knew the General, which he didn't, because Kurogane knew he would remember a shit-annoying voice like that. But then the movement behind Ashura revealed itself to be a person wrapped in a thick cloak with a hood over their head and a painted mask on their face, on their hands and knees and head tilted to its side inquisitively, and everything went black.

--

"_Hyu! Kuro, you really are a bad boy! Twice already!"_

The General groaned, eyes flickering open as the familiar bedroom came into focus around him. He found himself in a mound of scrolls and books, and he struggled out of them so he could stand properly. Once again the room was empty, and yet the voice remained.

"_At the risk of being tortured with magic," _Kurogane muttered. _"Your King is a bit of a pussy."_

A startled silence met him, and then a dry chuckle, followed by a soft –

"Is that…what you think…" 

"_**Yes **__that's what I think." _Kurogane snapped. _"A good leader doesn't send everyone else to do his dirty work and spend all his time on pretentious speeches."_

"_Hm,_" sighed the voice. _"I can't agree with you there. But in all truth, that is another of my orders." _ The General noticed how soft and high the voice was. Unless he was cloaking himself with magic, the mage couldn't be too old.

"_So I was right then." _Kurogane grinned viciously. _"I was sent here for you to keep me unconscious while something's happening to my body."_

Silence, for a few moments. Then, visage.

The large silk and fur covered bed was suddenly occupied by a figure Kurogane immediately recognised. Now that the mage was sitting comfortably, his heavy patterned cloak was splayed about him and revealed a considerably thin form. The hood was still raised, and the mage's face was covered with a white and blue mask delicately decorated with strange symbols.

"_It…is true." _The mage raised a leg and looped heavily sleeved arms around it lazily, black leather gloves stretching taut across slim fingers. _"Unfortunately I was… coerced into revealing your escape plans to my King-"_

The mage's uncomfortable explanation was cut off by Kurogane swearing loudly.

"_I'm curious," _the mage tipped his head again, placing his arms behind him and arching back comfortably to peer over his chest at Kurogane. _"How did you know I was distracting you so quickly?"_

Kurogane shrugged off his agitation and snorted.

"_If your orders were to torture me like last time, you would have struck me down when I called your King a pretentious pussy."  
_

The mage laughed loudly, surprising Kurogane. The way the man flinched back the General guessed it surprised the mage also.

"_Your intelligence gives you due credit, General Kuro." _The figure murmured, standing and tracing nimble figures down the bed banister idly. Kurogane gave a derisive snort and looked around for a moment before spotting a dull blue armchair and dropping heavily into it.

"_How long am I going to be here?" _he asked with a bored tone. The mage hummed and shrugged, turning and leaning against the bed.

"_Until you awaken."_

A silence passed between them. And it wasn't the usual silence with the occasional bird shrieking outside or the rattling of wind against the windowpane. It was, in essence, pure silence. Not a sound. Kurogane couldn't even hear the mage breathing, even though he was sitting but a meter away from him.

"_You're weird." _Kurogane said finally. The mage turned his head towards him, the mask an eerie shield between his face and the warrior.

"_Probably," _the mage agreed. _"But I could also counter that by saying you're stubborn, rude, brash and uncouth."_

Kurogane blinked. Silence. Then the mage giggled.

"_But, fortunately for you Kuro, I am more polite than the people of your country."_

"_What's that meant to mean!?" _Kurogane demanded. _"And you aren't polite at all!"_

Humming, the mage ignored the warrior and wandered across to the pile of scrolls and papers, picking one up and scanning through it.

"_Well," _the mage mused out loud. _"I am keeping you company, aren't I?"_

There were a few moments of gentle rustling as the stranger literally crawled into the massive pile of scrolls comfortably and picked another at random, unfolding it and pondering it with his chin propped up on his fist. Kurogane realised that the mage _was _right. He didn't have to be in this mental cage with him, but he was, even if it was in eerie silence. Standing slowly Kurogane made his way over to the mage and the literacy pile.

"_So why do you find me so interesting?" _he asked suspiciously. _"Does it get that boring around here?"_

"_Sometimes," _the mage admitted. _"My King never allows me to talk with anyone, so it gets very…" _the masked man chuckled softly. _"… boring."_

Kurogane scowled. He hated people who dodged around the truth, and this mage appeared to be continuously doing that. Still, it shouldn't bother him, what else could he expect from the enemy? But for whatever reason, it _did_, and Kurogane had the unnerving urge to wring the truth out of the mage's slim body.

"_Are you going to have to kill me soon?" _Kurogane stopped at the foot of the scroll mountain and picked one up casually, narrowing his eyes at the unrecognisable swirls and symbols. Glancing up he saw the mage lower his scroll slightly, as if he could see the warrior through the painted mask.

"_I don't know," _the mage replied quietly. _"I hope not."_

"_Why's that?"_

He was surprised when the mage dropped the scroll, standing and wobbling over to Kurogane across the pile of scrolls.

"_You are a General from another land, right?" _the mage asked, a touch of curiosity in his voice.

"_That's right." _Kurogane replied slowly, taking an unsure step backwards.

"_You have taken captives before? Captives from enemy armies, held them for information?"_

Kurogane didn't trust the tone in the mage's voice, the way the white slender neck craned forward with something mixed between expectation and anticipation. The mask was starting to creep him out, the symbols twisting and curling in a rock-hard shell of the mage's true personality.

_  
"What are you trying to tell me?" _Kurogane growled. _"Don't play word games with me, it just ticks me off."_

"…_Word games." _The mage snorted gently. _"Yes I suppose you're-" _he broke off and looked quickly over his shoulder, slim frame suddenly tense.

"_I'm sorry, General." _He sighed. Kurogane's eyes narrowed.

"_Please, be prepared."_

"_Prepared for what?" _Kurogane asked, only slightly worried when the mage looked over his shoulder again.

"_It's going to hurt." _The mage sighed, slowly turning and wandering back to his bed.

--

Kurogane awoke when the first stake was hammered through his clasped hands, raised high above his head so that the warm blood splattered thickly against his face.


End file.
